Chapter 1: The Beginning of a Chaotic Destiny
June 28, 1349
Loen Kingdom, Awwa County, Tingen City, West Borough, Iron Cross Street
Melissa's eyes fluttered open as her consciousness returned from the Dream. Rising from her pillow, she yawned, stretching her body—
—and suddenly stiffened.
"Wasn't I sitting before the desk…"
Before she had entered the Dream, she had not been lying on her bed.
She had been sitting on the chair before the table, the same table where she usually completed her work and studied.
The memory returned with increasing clarity.
The moment she had recited the honorific name of the Evernight Goddess, she had been seated there.
"Was it Klein?"
The instant she asked herself that question, Melissa suddenly spotted a pair of bare feet from the corner of her vision.
Ba-dump!
Her heart skipped a beat, a chill crawling up her spine as every nerve in her body tightened. Her pupils contracted, and adrenaline surged through her veins as instinct screamed.
Almost immediately, she prepared to summon her [Godslayer Apostle Flames].
However—
Before she could complete the thought, a familiar feeling of serenity washed over her.
The fear, the tension, and the instinctive alarm within her mind were gently suppressed, as though an invisible hand had soothed her restless thoughts.
At the same time, the figure that had remained at the edge of her vision completely entered her sight.
It was a woman.
She possessed extremely ordinary facial features.
Her ghostly black eyes were no different from those of a common person, yet they contained an almost unimaginable depth of peace and serenity, as if nothing in the world could disturb Her heart.
Her raven-black hair cascaded freely down Her shoulders.
She wore a simple linen robe with visible signs of repair, and around Her waist was a belt woven from tree bark.
When Melissa saw who the woman who had frightened her was, she bit back the urge to curse in indignation.
For one, it was an unladylike thing to do.
For two, the lady before her was an Angel.
And for three, Amanises might still be watching.
She didn't know how far she had gotten in rizzing up the goth wolf mommy, so it was better to err on the side of caution and not do anything that might displease Her Angel.
It certainly helped that the lady had personally given her a Feat and that She was aesthetically pleasing. Not in the conventional sense of facial beauty, but rather through Her presence and temperament, which were incomparably tranquil and calming. The contrast with Her ordinary appearance only made Her all the more striking.
Pleased with her sharp analysis, Melissa rose from her bed and bowed slightly as she greeted, "Thank you for coming, Ma'am Arianna. May the Goddess bless you."
She habitually tapped her chest four times in a clockwise fashion.
The Matron of the Evernight Cloister acknowledged her with a slight nod before returning the gesture. "May the Goddess bless you."
After the greeting, Arianna raised Her hand.
Two objects gradually sketched themselves into existence before quietly settling into Her palm.
One was a pendant fashioned from obsidian-like crystal, suspended on a thin chain of pure silver. The crystal was semi-translucent, with faint star-like specks that seem to shift, evoking the vastness of the night sky.
The other was an emblem of sorts, obsidian in colour, within which rested a crimson half-moon encircled by countless twinkling stars. It possessed a peculiar quality that caused one to instinctively forget its existence the moment one's gaze shifted away.
"This is a Mystical Item imbued with the powers of Concealment." Arianna slightly raised the pendant as She explained, "It passively conceals your thoughts and intentions from mystical observation, divination, fate-related abilities, and mind-reading. Those who attempt such methods upon you will find their perception gently guided elsewhere, as though the information were entirely ordinary and not worth noticing."
Hearing the explanation, Melissa's eyes lit up. "Will it work against 0-08?"
Arianna paused for a brief moment, giving her a calm glance before inclining Her head.
Melissa barely resisted the urge to strike a victory pose.
Instead, she shifted her attention toward the other object resting in the Servant of Concealment's hand, her curiosity thoroughly piqued.
Were her rizzing skills truly so overwhelming that Amanises didn't even want her to face the slightest danger, so She had prepared another Mystical Item for her?
Or was this simply the meticulousness of a woman who had spent thousands of years weaving schemes from behind the curtain?
Melissa firmly believed it was the former. The power of cute girls was second to none. As a certain Pink Jesus once said—
"Cute girls can do anything!"
….
Feat Achieved! Confuse an Angel
+1 Bronze Skill Ticket
Melissa froze as the notification appeared before her. Her eyes instinctively drifted toward Arianna, whose expression remained as tranquil and unreadable as ever.
Then…she looked down at herself. Both hands were planted firmly on her hips, posing.
Ah…
She said that aloud didn't she?
Heat immediately climbed to the young girl's cheeks, as unlike the Pink Fatty, she still possessed a reasonable amount of shame. Her skin simply wasn't that thick.
Being caught in such a compromising situation…How could she not feel embarrassed?
…
"Ahem!" Melissa awkwardly cleared her throat.
Rather than meeting Arianna's gaze, she deliberately fixed her eyes upon the Angel's hand. "Ma'am Arianna… about this other item…"
Silence lingered for a brief moment.
Had Melissa looked up at that moment, she would have noticed the ascetic Angel's lips curling upward by the faintest of margins.
"This is the Goddess' coat of arms." Arianna calmly explained. "It possesses the same fundamental characteristic as the pendant. However, its primary purpose is to establish a connection with the Goddess, regardless of where you are in the world. If you pour your spirituality into it, you will be brought directly to the Goddess' Concealed World. And should you require more direct assistance, chant Her True Name."
The Ascetic Matron handed both items to Melissa.
The brunette stared at them with wide eyes.
This…This was a thigh worth clinging to for the rest of her life!
The Eternal Blazing Sun? Who was that? Never heard of Him!
Warrior of Sunlight? What was that? Never seen it!
She, Melissa Moretti, was a Child of Darkness, a devout believer of the Mother of Concealment! And if anyone dared claim otherwise, she would simply use her Godslaying Flames to help them see "reason."
After placing the pendant around her neck and carefully holding the coat of arms in her hand, Melissa looked back toward Arianna and earnestly declared, "Praise the Lady!"
"Praise the Lady." The Servant of Concealment echoed, once again performing the prayer gesture.
Those ghostly black eyes quietly rested upon Melissa for a moment before She asked without preamble, "Do you wish for me to break your curse?"
Melissa blinked at the sudden question. For a brief moment, she was genuinely puzzled before her thoughts turned toward the various Curses she possessed.
She mentally went through each of them before gently shaking her head. "Thank you for asking, but it's fine."
The only Curse that could truly be 'broken' was the Ranma-like [½].
In Melissa's opinion, however, it was less of a curse and more of a blessing. With it, she could temporarily return to her former gender.
Not that she felt particularly attached to it anymore…But it was undeniably convenient.
Arianna gave a slight nod.
Her body gradually began fading away, as though an invisible eraser were methodically wiping Her from existence.
Just before vanishing completely, She left Melissa with a final warning.
"Be careful. Your fate is discordant."
…
"Am I the protagonist now?" Melissa's lips quirked upward in amusement as she registered those familiar words. "But… discordant fate, huh?"
She pondered for a moment before arriving at the most likely answer. "It must be [Mortal Enemy], right?"
After all, these exact same words had been said to Klein by Azik when Ince Zangwill was lurking behind the scenes.
"Speaking of which…" Melissa lightly tapped her chin. "I wonder who my [Mortal Enemy] and [Yandere] are?"
The latter was far more important in her opinion, as it could be someone as weak as the current non-Beyonder Audrey, or as terrifying as a crazy God like the Primordial Demoness.
Honestly speaking, having a Yandere after you in this world was simply far too nerve-wracking.
XXX
In a red chimney house in Tingen…
Ince Zangwill blankly stared at the young face before him.
There was a gaping hole through his chest. The flesh around it had long since been charred black, while most of his body had been reduced to horrific burns, the smell of scorched flesh lingering in the air.
His life was rapidly slipping away.
Squatting leisurely beside him was a young girl. She had black hair, brown eyes, and delicate features that presently carried an infuriatingly taunting smirk.
As though completely unconcerned with the dying man before her, she casually fiddled with a familiar-looking emblem between her slender fingers.
It was the coat of arms of the Church of the Evernight Goddess.
"Why…?"
Ince Zangwill's lips trembled.
"Why…?"
"Why…?"
"Why?"
Like a broken record, he continued repeating the same question over and over, his sole blue eye filled with bewilderment, resentment, and unwillingness.
Then, at last, his restraint snapped. "Why!? It's always Evernight—!"
Slap!
A resounding slap across his face instantly interrupted his tirade, and his face was violently knocked to one side.
The young girl calmly withdrew her hand, a slight frown appearing upon her delicate face. "Hey," She wagged a finger at him with mock reproach. "Don't go talking crap about my Goddess like that."
Ince Zangwill slowly turned his head back. The hatred within his sole remaining eye had almost become tangible.
He was unwilling.
Unwilling to die like this.
Unwilling to be killed by an unknown Blessed of Evernight.
He burned every detail of her appearance into his memory as his consciousness rapidly slipped into darkness.
Then, letting out one final unwilling roar—
"AHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
…
Ince Zangwill's eyes abruptly snapped open, his body jerked upright on the bed, and his breathing was ragged.
Almost instinctively, he lowered his head and frantically inspected himself. There was no gaping hole through his chest, nor was there any burns or blood. Only after confirming everything was intact did he slowly relax.
Then…
The image of that young girl once again surfaced within his mind.
Hatred instantly overwhelmed every other emotion, his expression twisting in anger. "That was… a revelation from the Spirit World…A vision of the future…"
He clenched his fists until they creaked, and his breathing gradually became even heavier. "She is going to kill me. A Blessed of Evernight, she will kill me here… in Tingen."
The resentment that had accumulated over years of fleeing from the Church of the Evernight Goddess erupted like a volcano.
"Am I going to keep running like a rat from them!?" His sole blue eye became bloodshot as his teeth ground together with an audible creak.
"No!" His voice became almost hysterical. "I'll kill her!"
"I'll write her to death this time!"
…
Unknown to Ince Zangwill…
Someone was already sitting quietly beside him on the bed.
It was a man. He wore a simple white cloak. His golden hair and neatly kept beard gave Him the appearance of an ordinary priest, while a silver cross rested peacefully upon His chest.
He sat there as naturally as though this was His own bed.
The man calmly gazed into Ince Zangwill's Body of Heart and Mind. In an instant, He found the source of the former Archbishop of the Church of the Evernight Goddess' sudden irrationality.
XXX
Backlund, St. George Borough, Saint Hierländ Cathedral
Within the Prime Vault of the Church of Steam and Machinery, where countless Sealed Artefacts slumbered under layers upon layers of protection, lay the section that housed the Grade 2 Sealed Artefacts.
Among them rested an ancient silver mirror.
Its back was engraved with archaic patterns weathered by time, while an eye-shaped motif adorned each side of its front. Standing only twenty-two centimeters in height, it appeared entirely ordinary amongst the many dangerous artifacts surrounding it.
It was Sealed Artefact 2-111, Arrodes.
At this moment, nothing about the mirror appeared unusual.
Yet, if one were somehow able to peer into the secluded corner of the Mirror World hidden within it, they would witness an entirely different scene.
Beyond the surrounding darkness…
Beyond an invisible curtain that separated reality from the Mirror World…
A pair of dark eyes slowly opened. They were profound, unfathomable, as though they concealed an endless Abyss.
Those eyes belonged to a young-looking girl.
She possessed fair skin and long silver-white hair gathered into two elegant side buns. A silver headpiece adorned her forehead, where a black jewel rested quietly at its center, while delicate crimson drop earrings swayed beside her cheeks.
She wore a black high-neck dress with shoulder cutouts, giving her the appearance of a noble young lady.
In one hand, she held an ornate silver hand mirror that looked exactly the same as Sealed Artefact 2-111.
Ordinarily, she would have appeared like an adorable young lady from an aristocratic family.
However, that was difficult to say now. Those abyss-like eyes were filled with a multitude of emotions; envy, obsession, love, hatred, and longing.
An unnatural blush had spread across her pale face, extending all the way to the tips of her ears as she stared lovingly into the mirror in her hands.
Within its reflection…was Melissa.
More precisely, the scene of Melissa immediately after her Transmigration, sitting in utter confusion.
"Melissa…" The girl gently stroked the mirror's surface with trembling fingers. "My dear Master Melissa…" Her voice was sweet enough to melt one's heart.
"Why didn't you pray to me?" A trace of grievance appeared on her face. "Why… that Goddess?" She bit her lower lip.
Almost immediately, jealousy surged across her beautiful features. "That Goddess! It was that Goddess' fault, wasn't it?"
"No…" Her expression twisted. "It was your fault too! Why did you let yourself be seduced by Her?" Her fingers tightened around the mirror. "She Concealed you from me, my dear Melissa…"
Her voice became increasingly soft, yet the mirror she lovingly caressed began emitting faint cracking sounds beneath her grip.
She gently lowered her head and lovingly kissed its surface.
Again.
And again.
"Don't worry…" An infatuated smile slowly bloomed across her face. "I'll come find you soon. These Machinery fools won't be able to keep me here forever."
Her dark eyes suddenly brightened. "The Chaos Sea…if I connect to it on a deeper level, I'll be able to meet you!"
The moment she arrived at that conclusion, adorable giggle escaped the girl's lips.
"Hehehehe~"
XXX
Tingen City, West Borough, Iron Cross Street
Melissa, who had just finished rolling for all the Feats she had accomplished since her Transmigration, suddenly froze as yet another notification appeared before her eyes.
Feat Achieved! Gain the Attention of Angel of Imagination, Adam
+1 Silver Random Ticket
"Give me a break!"
She hadn't even gotten the chance to celebrate getting her Mythical Ability yet!
+++
A/N: This snippet was calling to me! Anyway no one expected that Yandere did they? As for Ince Zangwill, he's a convenient enemy to pick for Mortal Enemy.
Here are the feats Meliissa accomplished since transmigrating and their respective pulls, felt like it was better to put it here than overload the chapter:
Feat Achieved! Get Corrupted on Transmigration
+1 Bronze Trait Ticket
[Perfumer]
|Common Trait|
You smell nice, that's about it, you have no distinct, your smell like what the person that's smelling you likes.
Feat Achieved! Recite an Honorific Name for the first time
+1 Bronze Skill Ticket
[Novice Charisma]
|Common Skill|
You have an aura of charisma around you, it is less of a skill and more of something that is just about you, a change in your demeanour and how you hold yourself perhaps. People of note feel themselves more attracted to your presence, it's subtle things like people paying more attention to you, taking you more seriously etc. Though at this level it is not too noticeable
Feat Achieved! Gain the Attention of the Evernight Goddes
+1 Silver Trait Ticket
[Iron Mind]
|Rare Trait|
Your mind is made of iron and your body will obey. Even if you are exhausted and starving the effect it has on your performance is minimal. Regardless of your suffering, your performance will be optimal. Does not extend to physical limitations or wounds. Also increases resistance against all Negative Mental Ailments.
Feat Achieved! Share Your Transmigrator Identity
+1 Platinum Random Advantage Ticket
[Master Math]
|Legendary Skill|
You can't be described as a basic savant anymore, you are truly superhuman when it comes to the matter of numbers, mathematics and calculations to the point where someone might question if you have a computer inside of your head.
OR
[Angellic Alliance]
|Legendary Item|
Hota - A divine artifact of the heavens. Wielding this sword greatly increases the user's physical and magical abilities, in addition, any army or ally under the user's command also becomes stronger and is imbued with powerful morale. You can also expend your own energy to grant any blessing at Rare tier or below, Boosts the power of holy and light abilities when used as a focus.
Feat Achieved! Become the Evernight Goddess' Blessed
+1 Gold Familar Ticket
[Bat Devil]
|Rare Familiar|
Chainsaw Man - A building-sized grotesque humanoid bat, as a devil the Bat Devil can heal from injuries by consuming blood, in addition to their superhuman physical stats, they can fly and release building-shattering sonic booms.(Cannot do Heart replacement)
Feat Achieved! Be Cleansed of your Corruption
+1 Gold Trait Ticket
[Vile Temper]
|Elite Trait|
Your body is tempered by the Vile. When you are afflicted by diseases or poisons, your body uses them as fuel to become stronger and develop a stronger immune system. The stronger and more exotic disease or poison you are inflicted with, the faster your body will increase its physical stats and develop its immune system.
Feat Achieved! Avoid the Outer Gods Gazes
+1 Legendary Random Ticket
[Normal World]
|Mythical Ability|
Normality Field allows you to erect a field with yourself in the middle, in this field, no one can invoke any supernatural effect with the exception of you removing the field. Even the greatest mage or god will be left with just their physical body to fend for themselves.
Feat Achieved! Meet an Angel for the first time
+1 Silver Random Ticket
[Devil Horns]
|Rare Item|
A headband in the shape of a pair of cartoonish devil horns. When worn these horns provide a substantial boost to all Darkness and Infernal abilities and traits of the wearer.
Feat Achieved! Gain your first Mystical Item
+1 Silver Item Ticket
[Bottle of Milk]
|Common Item|
The Legend of Zelda - A bottle of incredibly high-quality milk sourced from Malon. Drinking this milk restores some vitality and vigor to the drinker. Restock Timer: 12 hours
Feat Achieved! Confuse an Angel
+1 Bronze Skill Ticket
[Tax Evasion]
|Common Skill|
You are a master of tax evasion. If you desire it, the government will not see a particle of your money more than you want them to. Knowing the ins and outs of money laundering, obfuscating, etc.
Feat Achieved! Gain the Attention of Angel of Imagination, Adam
+1 Silver Random Ticket
[Receptive Body]
|Uncommon Trait|
Your body is incredibly receptive and open to change without getting damaged and curbing negative side effects. Healing is more effective on you and you are less likely to suffer from negative effects from changes like super soldier serum or abilities that cause physical instability.